Epigraphia Indica Vol 33

SR No.: 032587
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: D C Sircar
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1959
Total Pages: 514
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 29 MB

Page 233

160 EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
(VOL. XXXIII varman of our record came to the throne sometime after Kollam 332, the date of the present record, and continued to rule till at least Kollam 340, the latest date assigned to him."
In connection with the question of the relationship between the king of Vēņādu and the Chola monarch, reference may be made to an inscription of this period from Purava.sērio near Nagarkõil in Vēņādu. It states that, in Kollam 340, some members of the Chola military establishment stationed at Köttäru, which is also near Nägarköil in the same territory,' in association with some members of two other Chola regiments made certain endowments to the god at Puravari-chaturvēdimangalam, the approximate date of the foundation of the colony being Kollam 336. It is evident that the military cantonments at many places including Köttáru established by Kulottunga I continued to have their presenoe felt for all practical purposes."
During the period of Chõla suzerainty from the time of Kulottunga I, the kings of Vēņādu appear to have been in close alliance with the contemporary Pāņdya kings. A Tirunelvēli inscription of Māsavarman Sundara-pāņdya II, whose date of accession is 1238 A.D., refers to the newly formed village of Iravivarma-chaturvēdimangalam stated to have been named after the [king's)? appăţtar (i.e., father's grandfather). It is not unlikely that the reference here is to Ravivarman of the present record, though the relationship cannot be exactly worked out at present. The contemporanaeity of a Ravivarman of Vēņādu with Măpavarman Srivallabha is, however, established on the basis of a few records from Puravasēri in the Kanyakumari District of Madras State. The identity of Ravivarman of Vēnādu mentioned in the inscription of Māravarman Sundara-pāņdya II with his namesake who is considered to be the contemporary of Māravarman Srivallabha, a predecessor of Māravarman Sundara-pāņdya II, implies a matrimonial connection between the Pandyas and the Tiruvadis of Vēņādu.
The word varakkattina (line 8) in this inscription seems to indicate that the king of Vēņāda was not himself present at Srirangam but was represented by Ulliruppu Kandan Iravilo who was entrusted with the lamp and the money. Uliruppuli seems to mean here the secretary for the internal affairs of the king. Ködai Ravivarman like most of the kings of Travancore seems to have had a strong leaning towards Vaishnavism since he had also made a gift of lands to PuravariVinnagar-älvār at Puravari-chaturvēdimangalam.
i TA8, Vol. VII. No. 7. Though Mr. Ramanatha Avvar's suggestion assigning this record to Vira Ravivarman Tiruvadi is not directly borne out by the record as pointed out by Mr. Velu Pillai (Travancore State Manual, Vol. II, p. 78, n. 3), it may be accepted till we get some definite date for Ravivarmap's successor,
* Ibid., Vol. VII, No. 7. Mr. Velu Pillai (loc. cit.) has ignored the second of the two documents which is closely connected with the first.
Nagarkoil, Paravabèri and Köttáru are situated within a territory called Nāñji-nādu in contemporary V&ņādu inscriptions. This proves that Köttāru, the military centre, formed part of the territory directly ruled by the king of Vēņādu.
Ibid., No. 1; of. also No. 4. It may be noted that Singan Arangap, the founder of the Pursvari-chaturvedimangalam colony figures in another rooord froin the same place (ibid., No. 2) which is dated in the reign of MarsVarman Srivallabha.
The general position of the rulers of Vēņādu and the contemporary Pandya kinga in relation to the Cholas, the main suzerain power, has been correctly indicated by Mr. Ramanatha Ayyar (ibid., Vol. VI, p. 7).
• 8.1.1., Vol. 7, No. 446, lines 6 and 13.
of. above, Vol. XXV, p. 72, where a different construction has been adopted. • A.R. Ep., 1896, p. 5, pára. 15. See also above, Vol. XXV, p. 84; supra, n. 4.
Māravarman Sundara-pandya II was possibly the grandson of Jatavarman Kulabēkhara stated to be a son of Märavarman Srivallabha, whose inscriptions commence with the introduction of the Palalamadandai, and the great-grandson of Ravivarman of Vepadu.
One Kandan Iravi of Mēlachchëri is mentioned in the Kilimantr record of Kollem 343 (TAS, Vol. V, p. 84).
u Ibid., Vol. IV, No. 3. Mr. Ramanatha Ayyar has interpreted the term as the name of an office connected with the tax department, while Mr. Sundaram Pillai takes it as the name of a place (ibid., Page 17 and noto 4).